The Pun Chef
(2026)Or, How to Cook Monsters and Other Fantastical Things
(The second book in the Pun Farmer series)
A novel by Autumn Dawn
Danielle Boone thought she was signing up to test an experimental fantasy game. Instead, she wakes up inside one—with nothing but a magical spoon, a cursed water farm, and a dangerously literal pun‑magic that can turn monsters into five‑star entrées.
The Pun Chef is a cozy portal fantasy romance about building something from nothing, one terrible pun at a time. With a sushi boat she made in a panic, an extremely opinionated otter, and a water garden that floods every three days, Danielle is either going to build the life she never knew she wanted—or she's going to make a very gourmet last meal.
The monsters should be worried.
Warmhearted and full of chaotic charm, The Pun Chef follows a woman who loses everything, lands in a swamp, and decides to make it work. With a flood cycle she’s turned into an asset, a romance she absolutely did not plan for, and a growing suspicion that this strange, impossible world might be exactly where she belongs, Danielle Boone is building an empire—one terrible, brilliant pun at a time.
Perfect For Fans Of…
The Pun Chef is a cozy portal fantasy romance about building something from nothing, one terrible pun at a time. With a sushi boat she made in a panic, an extremely opinionated otter, and a water garden that floods every three days, Danielle is either going to build the life she never knew she wanted—or she's going to make a very gourmet last meal.
The monsters should be worried.
Warmhearted and full of chaotic charm, The Pun Chef follows a woman who loses everything, lands in a swamp, and decides to make it work. With a flood cycle she’s turned into an asset, a romance she absolutely did not plan for, and a growing suspicion that this strange, impossible world might be exactly where she belongs, Danielle Boone is building an empire—one terrible, brilliant pun at a time.
Perfect For Fans Of…
- Studio Ghibli meets Stardew Valley: A farming simulator with real stakes and magical whimsy.
Legends & Lattes + survival crafting: Cozy fantasy with addictive world-building and resource tension.
Creative heroines over combat: If you love problem-solvers, creative solutions, and clever magic systems.
Slow-burn romance with emotional payoff: Swoon-worthy leads and hilarious fortress-building.
Family drama with heart: The mother-in-law arc alone will have you cheering.
Cozy meets fantasy: For readers who want the warmth of a campfire and the chaos of a goose attack in the same chapter.
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Used availability for Autumn Dawn's The Pun Chef